Having been raised on rice, there is no excuse for birds of the grassland not to know its worth. Leaders are role models and have no excuse violating social norms they hold in trust for the people.

Products of Ashesi, through their training, are birds of the grassland and should lead the world by example.

‘To whom much is given much is expected,’ but our culture expresses this in richer imagery.

(Proverb was spoken in 1988 by the sage Okyeame Baffuor Akoto, veteran spokesman of the Asantehene to rebuke a subchief who abused his powers to cultivate a piece of land whose ownership had been secured through a sacred oath (ntamkesee). 

In the words of the philosopher, ‘Kwaemu anoma na ennim se emo ye aduane, enye sere mu anoma.’ (If the forest bird could be pardoned for mishandling the grain, pardon cannot be extended to birds that were raised on the staple food.)